The Plague

[rhymeguy]

The Plague

 

 

 

Horses and wagons over rust red clay

carried the dead away that day.

The living there left

could neither go nor stay,

nothing to do

but wait, wander and pray.

Wait to be told that they too had died;

wander the shadows where the waiting cried;

pray that another

Would be taken and tried;

they might be spared

the long final ride.

Waiting is wasted, prayers go unheard.

Living is tenuous, dying assured.

The order is set.

The die has been cast.

When, is irrelevant,

first or last.

 

When it was over no one was spared.

Nobody cried. Nobody cared.

The last ones to die

lay where they fell.

There was no one to guide them

to heaven or hell.

When they were found a great pyre was set.

The flames licked their bone without regret.

Their ashes were blown

across the annals of time

and spread throughout

the words of this rhyme.

 

Their memories' now entered in this book of the lost.

Their souls now counted and tallied the cost.

Alas now they rest;

their story is told.

They lived, loved and died

both the young and the old.

 

Edited July 30, 2009 by rhymeguy

[tonyv]

Quite an entertaining read, Rhymeguy. The setting could be medieval, or it could be a later period. In any case, I like how you handle the subject from beginning to end.

 

Tony

[goldenlangur]

Hi rg,

 

In this powerful poem how effectively you show that although the deaths were recorded how essentially devoid of any personal feelings and grief these were:

 

 

When it was over no one was spared.

Nobody cried. Nobody cared.

The last ones to die

lay where they fell.

There was no one to guide them

to heaven or hell.

 

I love how you describe here

Horses and wagons over rust red clay

 

 

 

[rhymeguy]

My thanks to Tony and goldenlanqur for reading this little poem and for such kind comments. I am pleased that you both found something of value therein. It is always rewarding to see the thoughts of others and know that a work has had an effect for good or ill.

 

Thanks guys,

 

rg

[dr_con]

A thoroughly enjoyable lament! Set outside of time, the narrator seems out of history himself. Playful and sad- a good read- I want to hear it with Harp and Violin- Maybe Lisa Gerrard as the Singer- Dead Can Dance as the band?

 

Thanks for the pleasure RG... BTW i think

The dye has been cast

b should be die not the coloring rather the cutting out of? I could be wrong on the spelling etc. In a bit of a rush right now;-)

 

Thanks!

 

DC

[rhymeguy]

Thank you good Dr. I was most flattered by your thinking and remarks. I am always please when you read and approve anything I offer.

 

And yes you are quite right "die" is the appropriate word. I am a very poor speller.

 

rg

[Aleksandra]

Hello rg. This is very powerful poem written in a strong spirit.

The start of the poem hits:

Horses and wagons over rust red clay

carried the dead away that day.

 

Strong poem.

 

I loved this one.

 

Aleksandra